Outsourcing Technology to a Trusted Partner Allows Tax Campaign to Focus on Tax Returns Instead of IT

By outsourcing IT to a knowledgeable and long-standing partner, CAAB was able to stop focusing on their IT and focus on what it does best - manage, recruit, train volunteers, and earn more refunds for residents of DC!

Challenge

Capital Area Asset Builders (www.caab.org) creates opportunities for DC residents to improve their financial management skills, increase their savings, and build wealth. CAAB conducts financial education workshops and coordinates a program to promote personal financial responsibility and savings called DC Saves. One of their signature programs is the DC Earned Income Tax Credit Campaign (DC EITC) which educates consumers about the tax credit and provides free tax preparation and filing.

Each year, the DC EITC program brings together hundreds of volunteers in locations across the city ranging from churches to community centers to prepare tax returns for low income residents. Successful filing of the returns depends on basic but critical technology including working computers, an internet connection, and access to the tax preparation software. However, many of the tax sites have no tech support and turnover in CAAB personnel has made it difficult to maintain continuity in operations between tax sites from year to year.
Solution

 

Solution

The Annie E. Casey Foundation, through the work of CAAB, contracted with NPower Greater DC Region for a fourth year to outsource technology assistance and support during the 2008 tax filing season.

Services included:

  • Conducting a brief audit of each site;
  • Identifying and replacing old machines;
  • Networking the sites;
  • Installing tax preparation software on every workstation; and
  • Troubleshooting issues at the tax preparation sites while providing quick and secure resolution to campaign staff and volunteers.

By outsourcing IT to a knowledgeable and long-standing partner, CAAB was able to stop focusing on their IT and focus on what it does best - manage, recruit, train volunteers, and earn more refunds for residents of DC!

Impact

The 2008 DC Earned Income Tax Credit Campaign achieved the following results:

  • Recruited and trained more than 500 volunteers to prepare taxes;
  • Filed more than 5,900 federal returns and 6,100 state returns;
  • Over one third of filers claimed the federal earned income credit, with a total of $2.36 million in benefits; and
  • DC tax filers claimed an additional $590,000 in DC earned income credits.

"As a new coordinator of the (DC EITC) campaign, I really appreciated NPower's in-depth knowledge of the DC EITC. Not only do they know "Tax Wise," (the tax preparation software) they know the tax preparation sites. Being able to anticipate and troubleshoot challenges at the sites BEFORE we hit tax season was a big help. I can speak for everyone at CAAB when I say that we're truly grateful for your NPower's support. Their help made the 2008 tax season a huge success!"

Meg Newman
DC EITC Campaign Coordinator
CAAB